A superfit Scot whose family had the 'fabric of their lives' ripped open after he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease is aiming to be the first to cycle the 'UK's hardest ride'.
Davy, from Edinburgh, has been fundraising for charity since being diagnosed with the terminal disease in 2018 after a snowboarding trip to Canada the previous year. The 34-year-old first noticed his thumb had gone numb on the trip, but mistook it for a cold or old skateboarding injury.
After seeking treatment on his return home, Davy was eventually diagnosed with MND - a condition that affects the nerves and brain. But wallowing in despair was no option for determined Davy who vowed to 'live life to the full' and 'make every moment count'.
In August 2020 Davy, his twin brother, Tommy, and a group of friends completed the course across the Highlands, raising over £100,000 for Doddie Weir's foundation, My Name is Doddie.
Now the Edinburgh-born author is set to take on the gruelling 'High Five' route with his brothers Tommy, also 34, and Sorley, 29, as well as five pals. Estimated to be around 265 miles, it will take Davy over five of Scotland’s highest public roads and include just shy of 20,000 feet of climbing.
Speaking to the Record, Davy said: "This route is bonkers for even the most experienced endurance athletes. It's never been done before which is incredibly exciting.
"It’s a step into the unknown and I’m not sure how my body will react. I’m taking on a lot but I’m excited.
“Doing an hour of cycling on your lunch break doesn’t really cut it. You need to go out for eight, nine, ten hours. But thankfully my wife Yvie is hugely supportive and understanding of how much training is required.
“I’m so glad I’m doing this with my brothers and friends. There have been some dark times in recent years. After I was diagnosed, the fabric of my family's life was ripped open.
"I flushed out a lot of the difficult emotions I have through my pedals and my bike, and I find solace in that. There will be some dark times on the bike during this trip, but my brothers always lift me up with laughter."
Doctors were initially left baffled by Davy's symptoms when he returned from his trip to North America in 2017. Soon after losing the feeling in his thumb, he began noticing a twitching in his leg, hand and arm muscles.
Medics first sent him to a cancer specialist to see if had been exposed to radioactive material. When that was ruled out, doctors left 'no stone unturned' in their quest for answers, and even looked at the possibility he had been bitten by a poisonous animal during his travels.
It wasn't until the next year Davy was given the crushing diagnosis he describes as a 'death sentence'. Davy first began losing strength and dexterity in his left hand and arm.
Progressively getting worse, it spread to his torso and right hand, with Davy able to feel it 'more and more' around his entire body. Without the use of his hands, Davy will be taking on the challenge with an adapted bike using electric gears.
The group initially set out to raise £10,000 for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, a charity launched by Doddie Weir, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2017. They have since smashed their target, with the total sitting at nearly £18,000.
Davy said: “I’m very lucky to have had the chance to get to know Doddie over the last few years. I am in awe of what he has achieved for the MND community.
" With his Foundation, he’s helped to put MND on the agenda and to raise awareness.
"MND is incurable, degenerative and paralysing; it strips you of your nerve cells which means your muscles waste away and can never be built up again. The charity is helping people like me, and their families to live their best lives.”
Davy will begin the cycle August 11. To donate, visit High Five’s Just Giving page, here. To donate to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, visit the Foundation's website, here.
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